Dean Higgins

Hometown: Durham, North Carolina
Alma mater:  Berea College

Undergraduate Degree(s): Music

Q: What are your areas of interest in the program or career goals?  

As a solid mid-careerist and someone who’s been out of the academic environment for almost three decades now, I’m excited to begin this new chapter with the UNC MPA program. Throughout my career I have been deeply committed to service, public/private solutions to health and well-being, and driving change through collaborative leadership. To maximize the benefits of the program, I intend to pursue a concentration in non-profit leadership and plan to seek out electives in health policy and public health to further customize the program to my career goals and needs.

Q: How did you discover the MPA degree vs. other graduate degrees when you were considering returning to school?

Professional development has always been a priority as I’ve progressed in my career and pursing postgraduate education has long been a goal of mine. However, the timing never seemed right, and path was uncertain. I had been seriously considered an MBA in recent years, but when I weighed the value of an MBA against an MPA with my career goals and path, the MPA program stood out. I’m confident that an MPA will be an important next step in helping me maximize the impact of working to improve health in the Carolinas.

Q: Why did you decide to get your MPA at UNC? 

I have tremendous respect for UNC as an academic institution and have experienced its deep impact on shaping professionals at different stages of their career paths. This began with my wife when we moved from Cincinnati to Chapel Hill in 2008 for her to pursue an MPH degree at UNC. Having worked in healthcare and public health since arriving to North Carolina, I’ve been privileged to both work alongside and hire talented change makers that are products of UNC graduate educations.

The decision to pursue an MPA degree at UNC came after much self-reflection and research. I explored programs across the country, evaluating their curriculums, structures, and faculty and sought advice from MPA graduates. Ultimately, I decided to attend UNC because of its local presence and commitment, national reputation, caliber of the faculty, and alignment with my professional goals.

Q: What are you reading/listening to this summer?

 All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker was a good summer read.